Merry FUBAR
by Caribou Kid
Summary: Lee Crane has one of those missions where nothing seems to go right until he's left to his own devices. He makes unexpected friends in a hostile place and repays an act of kindness that saved his and Nelson's lives many years past. Note: This is a follow on story to 'The Turn of a Friendly Card."


**Merry FUBAR **

_FUBAR – F…ed Up Beyond All Recognition. _ That's all Lee Crane, Captain of the Nelson Institute of Marine Research submarine SSRN Seaview and occasional ONI operative kept thinking as he ran headlong through the snow-covered woods in the northern coastal province of Chadden in the People's Republic. This entire mission had been nothing but one huge FUBAR from the moment he'd been dropped off, thirty miles off course from where he needed to be, to the poorly planned and executed retrieval ops. About the only thing that had gone right in this fiasco was the location and validity of the information he was sent to retrieve. Assuming he could make his way home what he had collected would be extremely valuable in eliminating terrorist training camps supplied with PR military advisors and weapons.

He now found himself hightailing it through the forest to keep from being seen and captured by PR forces who had stumbled on the last of his scheduled pickup attempts. Lee had been running for nearly two hours now putting as much distance between him and the retrieval point as possible. It was early December, bitterly cold and luckily for him snowing heavily so that his passage was quickly hidden under the increasingly deep carpet of snow. Deciding that he was probably safe for the moment Lee slowed to a walk and began to catch his breath.

Now that he was no longer running, the cold bit harshly at him leaving him chilled as his sweat-soaked clothing quickly ceded his body heat. He pulled off his pack and rooted through it for a moment until he found and pulled out his GPS; flipping it on, he quickly got a fix on his position in relation to the rest of the world. Knowing now that there was no longer a chance for ONI to pull him out, getting home was solely up to him.

Lee continued to walk through the woods looking for some place to hole up for the night as the temperatures were dropping steadily below the zero mark. He needed to get warmed up, collect his thoughts and plan what he needed to do next to find his way home. As he scanned the area he spotted a large outcropping of rocks with what looked like a small cave at the base. He made his way over and cautiously entered looking for any four-footed denizens that may have already claimed it for the winter.

The cave was actually fairly large and extended a good 100 feet back beyond the entrance. That would give him the ability to light a fire for heat and still remain hidden from view should the PR fly over the area with infrared sensors looking for heat signatures. Dropping his pack at the back of the cave, Lee moved back outside to collect downed branches and logs to fuel his fire. Having gathered a huge armload of wood he returned to the cave and set to making fire. As the tinder and small branches caught and the blaze began to grow in intensity Lee thrust his hands forward to soak in the heat and return more feeling to his fingers. After the flames were well established he started adding larger branches and soon had a good sized fire that was quickly dispelling some of the chill in the cave.

As feeling returned to his nether regions, Lee stepped back from the fire grabbed his pack and pulled out some salami and hard cheese to refuel his body. He munched quietly as he stared at the flames and began formulating his plan for his escape. All things considered Lee counted himself fortunate thus far. Despite all the screw-ups he hadn't been shot, stabbed, beaten, drugged or sustained a concussion; all his limbs worked and no one had really seen him so they didn't know what he looked like. He laughed mirthlessly to himself as he thought _Yeah, real fortunate._

He reached into his pack once more and pulled out a map of the area; based on his GPS readings he was about 40 miles from Cordessa, one of the major seaports on the PR eastern coast. If he could make it there odds were he would be able to find some means of getting out of the country. His forged credentials identified him as a merchant seaman and hopefully he could land a job on a tramp freighter heading east; hell heading anywhere would be a relief. As he studied the terrain depicted on the map he figured he could probably make it to the city limits in a day and a half while keeping to the woods.

Finally warm Lee pulled a metal cup from his pack along with his water bottle and trudged outside to fill them with snow so he could melt it and have something warm inside his belly. Once the snow turned to water he greedily gulped it down, then refilled the cup and bottle again with snow and set them near the fire. He heaped a couple of large logs on the blaze, removed the blanket from his pack then snuggled down to try and grab a few hours of sleep before starting out.

xxXXxx

Admiral Harriman Nelson, creator of the submarine Seaview and Lt. Commander Chip Morton, her XO were not happy men. Their friend and colleague Lee Crane was more than a week overdue in returning from his ONI mission and the last information they had received was that Lee had missed the last extraction attempt. What irked them even more was that there was absolutely nothing they could do to help him out. No one had heard from Crane since the botched extraction so they didn't know where he was, what condition he was in or if he was even alive. The only thing they could rely on at this point was Lee Crane's propensity to survive situations that no one else could ever hope to walk away from. It had often been remarked that he had more lives than an alley cat; they just hoped he hadn't used them all up.

"Dammit Tom who planned this mission, Murphy?!" Nelson bellowed at the director of ONI as he updated him on the status of his missing captain.

"I'm sorry Harri," Hardy replied fully aware that his people had seriously dropped the ball. "I've got my crew scrambling to reach out to our operatives and agents to try and locate him, but even that action could endanger his life if we're not careful. We both know Lee; he's probably already got transport out and is making his way home as we speak."

"You know full well he shouldn't have to rely on his own resources and ingenuity to get out. You sure you don't have a mole burrowed into your planning staff?" Nelson fired back.

"We're doing everything we can Harri. You know only too well that unfortunately these things happen in the world of covert affairs; it's not like he can just pick up a phone and call for a ride."

"Yes, you saw to that didn't you by banning him from taking a radio or even a cell phone." Nelson replied coldly.

"The mission demanded it, if he was caught it would have pointed a finger directly back to the US and that's something that could not happen. The political intricacies associated with this situation tied my hands and believe me I was no more happy about it than you are. I'll call you if I hear anything new." Hardy replied and hung up quickly before Nelson could go off on him again.

Harri slammed the receiver down into the cradle and said a number of words not common to his usual vocabulary. Chip shoved his hand thru his hair in a manner reminiscent of Lee and sighed in defeat.

"I take it they have no idea where he is or have any intention of helping him." Chip said after the admiral's breathing had returned somewhat to normal.

"They have no idea where he is or if he's even alive. Tom said they're reaching out to all their operatives to see if they can come up with any intel on his location but the chances of them finding anything is probably pretty low. Lee's on his own and if he's going to make it home it's all up to him." Harri replied dejectedly.

"I guess that's some consolation, there's no one better at coming out smelling like a rose than Lee Crane. At least he doesn't have ONI trying to '_help_' him; he might just stand a chance now."

Harri looked up at Chip and rolled his eyes then nodded. They would have to count on Lee's resourcefulness and luck to bring him back home to them.

xxXXxx

Surprising to Lee he had slept rather soundly in his cave and found that it was actually quite late in the morning as the sun was working hard to clear the horizon. He took a quick look at his watch and was chagrined to see that it was nearly 0900. He had hoped to get a much earlier start on his trek towards Cordessa but apparently his body had other plans. He actually felt pretty good all things considered and threw another couple of logs on the fire to heat his temporary lodging back up.

As the fire surged back to life, Lee set his cup near the blaze to warm some water and pulled more cheese and salami out of his pack. He would need the fuel to keep him going on the journey ahead. He sat back and stared at the flames as they danced across the logs. His mind drifted to thoughts of Harriman Nelson, his boss and surrogate father and Chip Morton, his XO and brother in all but blood. He was seriously overdue now and he almost, almost, pitied the earful Admiral Hardy would be getting from Nelson. Nelson was less than thrilled with Lee's continued association with ONI and never missed an opportunity to let Hardy know about his dissatisfaction with their constant reliance on his captain to carry out covert operations that they should be handling in-house. He smiled almost evilly as he thought about that conversation. Lee sipped on the water and finished his breakfast as the flames began to wane. He quickly repacked everything in his backpack, doused the fire then exited the cave to begin the long walk east.

The storm had blown out over the night but not before depositing nearly two feet of fresh snow on the forest floor. The sky above looked clear as the sun slowly lit the horizon and the temperature had dipped even lower due to the lack of clouds. Lee got his bearings, pulled on his gloves and hat and started walking.

Luckily the snow that had fallen was light and fluffy making it relatively easy to walk. Lee made good time, the steady pace kept him warm and the chill of the day at bay. If he weren't in a hostile country running for his life he would have found the scenery beautiful and thoroughly enjoyed the quiet walk through the woods. It was nearly silent as all the song birds had deserted the area months earlier, and only the occasional 'caw' from a passing raven broke the silence. He caught no hint of aircraft so apparently the PR hadn't seen him scurry away from the pickup site and were not actively trying to locate him. He might just stand a chance of getting home, he thought hopefully.

xxXXxx

Lee continued walking throughout the brief northern day and as the sun began to set he figured it was time to start looking for a place to bed down for the night. By his best estimate he had covered nearly 25 miles, maybe 30, getting him that much closer to Cordessa. As he plodded through the snow he heard what he thought was a desperate and weak cry for help. He froze momentarily and slowly turned his head listening intently for the sound. After a few moments he heard nothing and just figured it was probably a raven pointing out his presence to the other forest residents.

He began walking forward when once again he heard the plaintive cry; there was no doubt in his mind this time that someone was in need of assistance. Torn between the need to remain undetected and to make his way as expeditiously as possible to Cordessa to find a way home, and the urge to find out who so desperately needed assistance out in the middle of this remote forest he came to a halt and strained to hear the next call and locate the source. After another minute or so he heard another call come off from the right and this one sounded even weaker than the last. Coming quickly to a decision Lee turned to his right and began looking for the source.

He walked maybe 30 yards and soon spotted the source of the distressed cries. Ahead he saw a recently felled tree and beneath the trunk he saw a pair of legs extending out from the branches. Lee moved rapidly forward to the downed man, constantly scanning the forest for any indication there were others around just waiting to assault him once he got in range. Finally determining there was no one else around he approached the man.

Lee walked cautiously around the tree stump until he could better see the man. From what he could see, the downed man looked to be in his late 70's, with a full head of snow white curly hair and a bushy white moustache and beard. He had on an old somewhat thread bare woolen jacket, wool gloves with holes in a couple of the fingers and a black wool watch cap that had fallen off his head. He also spotted an ancient chainsaw lying off to the side.

"Hello, you look as though you could use some help," he said quietly so as not to startle the man too much as he knelt by his side. Lee had total fluency with the PR language especially after his first adventure in the country where he found himself a guest of the PR for more than three months.

After his quick start, the look of relief that took over the man's face was obvious. "Yes, if it wouldn't be too much of a bother," he replied weakly with a small smile.

Lee shot him a quick smile in return. "No bother at all. What happened?"

"I was cutting this tree for firewood and just as I was finishing my last cut the whole thing shifted and twisted unexpectedly and I couldn't get out of the way fast enough."

"That's not good. Are you hurt, as far as you can tell?" Lee inquired.

"My chest hurts but everything else seems to be fine," the man replied.

"Okay, let's see about getting you out from under this thing," Lee answered with a nod. He removed his pack and placed it on the ground then took off his jacket and handed it to the man. "Here this should warm you up a bit and you can put it over your head once I start cutting to keep the sawdust and branches out of your face."

"Thanks" the man replied breathily as he accepted the coat. It was obvious that he was having difficulty breathing with the weight on his chest.

Lee moved over to the chainsaw and picked it up then quickly surveyed the tree resting on the old man. He needed to be careful when he started cutting through the trunk so it didn't come crashing down on the man's chest causing further damage. Following three pulls on the saw's cord, it roared to life. Lee walked to the end of the tree and cut two large rounds. Next he quickly cut off some of the larger branches near the man so he could get better access to the tree trunk and to have a better view of the man. He then took the two rounds and shoved them beneath the trunk on either side of the man so they would prevent the rest of the trunk from settling back down on him when he began cutting to free the trapped man.

With the braces in place he picked up the saw again and it roared back to life after one pull. He walked back to man and made his cut through the section resting on his chest. As the saw severed the trunk each side raised up resting on the blocks freeing the man on the ground. As the weight came off his chest, the man's relief was immediately apparent as he drew in a full breath and grimaced at the pain.

Lee killed the saw and moved behind the man and eased his arms under his shoulders. "Does everything still feel okay? Do you feel any numbness in your legs or arms?"

The man quickly moved his feet and hands. "No everything seems to be fine other than my chest," he replied.

"Good. I'm going to pull you straight back, okay. Let me do all the work, just enjoy the ride." Lee answered with a wink.

The man nodded and smiled in return. Lee quickly pulled him out from beneath the tree and deposited him gently on ground when he was clear. Once Lee put him back down the man immediately wrapped his arms around his chest and curled on his side breathing in shallow rapid breaths. As he got his breathing under control he tried feebly to push up to a sitting position. Lee carefully assisted him up.

"Everything but your chest still feel okay?" Lee asked. The man nodded as he continued to hug his middle in an attempt to control the pain in his chest.

"Thank you so much for getting me out," the man said earnestly. "I honestly thought I was going to die here; I didn't expect anyone to be out here. My name is Yuri Broje, by the way."

Lee felt a jolt race through his body at the man's name; it was a total blast from the past. The startled look on Lee's face made the man look at him quizzically. The only time Lee had been in this part of the PR was 12 years ago when he had been betrayed by a double agent and found himself in the custody of the PR secret police. As they were transporting him to a secret interrogation facility he had met a young man named Peter Broje being taken to the same facility to work as a janitor. He had released Lee from his bonds and proceeded to tell him all about his life as a fisherman in Cordessa and his father Yuri. Lee had no idea how common the name Broje was in these parts and wondered at the chances of him meeting up with Peter's father.

"Is something wrong?" Yuri inquired.

"You wouldn't by any chance have a son by the name of Peter?" Lee asked.

Yuri's face clouded for a moment as unhappy memories flooded back. "Yes, I did have a son named Peter. He died some time back."

"I am sorry to hear that. I think I met your son, sir. Was he about my age, tall and slender with dark curly hair?"

Yuri nodded. Lee did resemble Peter quite a bit.

"Did he used to work on a boat named the Sawfish?"

"Yes we both used to work on the Sawfish until he was injured in an accident. He was never quite right in the head after that and developed balance problems that made it dangerous for him to remain on the boat. The government had us send him away to a special school so he could learn a new job that didn't require much smarts," Yuri almost spit out. The disdain for that action was clearly evident on his face. "How did you come to meet Peter?"

"That's a long story and something we can talk about later once we get you to a doctor." Lee replied.

"No doctor, I just need to get back home. My wife can take care of me. Do you have a name as well?" asked Yuri.

Lee gave him an embarrassed smile. "My apologies for my bad manners, your name just caught me off guard. I am Leon Borodin."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Borodin," Yuri replied. "I owe you my life."

"It's Leon and I was more than happy to help. I think it's time to get you home now sir." Lee answer.

"Please call me Yuri," he said as he struggled to get to his feet.

Lee rushed to his side and helped him rise. Yuri was nearly out of breath from the effort and doubled over in pain from stressing his damaged ribs. Making a quick scan of the area, Lee spotted a large sled off to the side, most likely to be used to haul the wood back to wherever Yuri was going.

"I don't think you're going to be able to walk very far with those ribs and you definitely don't want to cause more damage especially if one or more of them are broken. How about we get you situated on the sled and I tow you back to where you need to go," Lee offered as he steadied the injured man.

Yuri flushed in embarrassment. "You have done far too much for me; I don't want to impose on you further."

"It's no imposition plus I don't want all my hard work undone should you have a broken rib and manage to run it through a lung." Lee replied with a wink.

"Then I thank you once again. I have a small cabin about 800 meters east of here."

"All right then that's decided, let's get you settled and we'll get going, it's starting to get more than a little cold out here," Lee answered.

xxXXxx

Lee quickly got Yuri bundled up and positioned on the sled then grabbed the rope and started heading in the direction he indicated. Fifteen minutes later Lee spotted a small cabin up ahead in a small clearing.

It was a plain structure, the wood-planked walls grayed by time and the elements, the pitched roof covered by a thick blanket of snow. There was a small window next to the front door and a slender curl of white smoke rising lazily out of the stovepipe on the backside of the roof. A wan flickering glow from a lamp or candle could be seen inside through the glass as Lee drew nearer.

He pulled the sled near the front door then turned around to assist Yuri to his feet. Once up Yuri made his way slowly towards the door and just as he was about to grab the doorknob, the door suddenly flew open and an older women dressed in a large wool sweater, patched wool pants and boots stepped out. "Where on earth have you been old man," she bellowed out, the fear and worry clearly evident on her face and in her voice.

She quickly became aware of Lee's presence and blushed at her outburst. Yuri chuckled at the flustered look on his wife's face but immediately regretted that as his ribs let him know that movement was not appreciated. Lee smiled and chuckled as well.

"My apologies," she added instantly as she quickly appraised her husband's condition and moved to escort him into the cabin.

"Leon, this is my wife Natasha. Natasha this is Leon Borodin, the man who just saved my life," Yuri said as he made his way to the chair next to the table.

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Broje," Lee responded.

Natasha's eyes grew wide at Yuri's introduction. "A pleasure to meet you Mr. Borodin," she replied. She quickly fixed her eyes back onto her husband looking for a little more explanation. "Saved your life? What happened old man? I told you you should have let me come with you to cut trees."

Yuri rolled his eyes at the '_I told you so_' but really couldn't take issue with it. "As usual you were right my dear wife. The tree took an odd twist just as I finished my cut and caught me before I could get away. Luckily for me, Leon was walking through the woods, heard my call for help and came to my aid," he said as he sat heavily down on the chair.

"How badly are you hurt?" she replied her concern softening her voice.

"My chest hurts but everything else seems fine. Leon did a good job getting me free." Yuri answered and once again cringed and folded forward as his ribs spoke loudly to him. Natasha was instantly at his side trying to help.

"Yuri, I'm not a doctor but I have had first aid training and a lot of personal experience with broken ribs. If you would like I can take a look at them and figure out whether they're broken, cracked or just bruised. I can also try and wrap your chest to support your ribs and make things a little more comfortable." Lee offered.

Yuri was about to refuse Leon's offer until he caught sight of the look in his wife's eyes. He was going to sigh heavily in resignation but thought better about that move knowing his chest would not appreciate it. "I accept your offer Leon, thanks," he replied.

"Fine. Mrs. Broje would you help Yuri take off his coat and shirt then we can get him on the bed and I can take a look at the damage," Lee answered.

She nodded her head at his instructions. "Please call me Natasha, Mr. Borodin."

"I'm Leon." Lee replied with a smile.

Natasha carefully unbuttoned and removed Yuri's coat and shirt then gently helped him up and over to the bed across the room in a small recess behind a heavy curtain. Yuri gingerly sat down on the bed and lay down. Even in the faint light of the lamp the severe bruising to his chest was obvious. Lee gave him a sympathetic grimace knowing full well how much pain he must be in and how long it was going to last.

"Now just try to relax," Lee said as he pulled the chair over to the bed and sat down. "I'm going to run my hands over your ribs to see whether they're broken or cracked. It's going to hurt a bit but I'll do my best to be as gentle as possible."

Yuri nodded and steeled himself for the pain of Leon's examination. Lee quickly and efficiently probed and evaluated each of Yuri's ribs trying his best to keep his touch as light as possible. Every now and then Yuri would grunt in pain as Lee hit a particularly tender spot. After a few minutes Lee sat back and smiled at Yuri.

"Well that part is done. I think you've got a couple of cracked ribs and a lot of bruising but I didn't feel any breaks; that's a good thing. What I would suggest is that if you have any elasticized bandages you let me wrap your chest to stabilize your ribs and it will make it a little easier to move and breathe."

"We don't have those types of bandages but I do have a number of rolls of linen strapping we've used in the past to wrap knee and wrist injuries," Natasha offered.

"That will work too. If you would get those for me I'll get Yuri wrapped up and hopefully breathing a little easier. Also if you have any aspirin or other pain killers he could probably go for a couple of those as well." Lee replied.

"I'll get those for you." Natasha said as she moved across the cabin to a small chest on the floor. She opened the top and pulled out a number of rolls of strapping and handed them to Lee. She next moved to a small cabinet near the sink and pulled out a bottle of aspirin.

Lee thanked her for the strapping. He carefully helped Yuri sit up on the edge of the bed then quickly set to tightly wrapping his chest. When he finished his last wrap he looked at Yuri's face for any sign of undue stress. "How does that feel Yuri? Are they too tight?"

"It feels much better Leon, it's easier to breathe. I think they are just right." Yuri replied. He smiled at his wife, standing behind Leon to let her know he was fine. She let out a relieved sigh and handed him the aspirin and a cup of water. Yuri downed both the aspirin and the water then let Leon ease him back down on the bed. Yuri let loose a sigh of relief and closed his eyes relishing the reduction in pain.

After a moment he opened his eyes and smiled at the two concerned faces looking down at him. "Thank you for everything Leon, I feel much better."

"I'm glad I could help." Lee replied.

"I'm just lucky that you were walking through the woods, it's rare that anyone ventures out here especially in the winter. Do you mind if I ask why you are out all this way?" Yuri inquired.

xxXXxx

Lee scrambled mentally to quickly try and come up with a likely story for his presence in the woods. He needed something that wouldn't prompt too my questions and quickly settled on his story.

"I recently lost my wife and newborn son in childbirth. I found the memories and pain in Solad too depressing and figured I would head to Cordessa to try and find a job on a boat or ship and get away for a while. I hitched rides with folks heading in this general direction but my last one ended about 25 kilometers back so I decided to walk. I kind of strayed off into the woods but discovered a great deal of peace walking through the forest so decided to stay the course until I got too cold or reached Cordessa," Lee answered trying hard to strike the correct facial expression to keep them from asking too many questions out of respect for his loss.

"I am so sorry, Leon. We both know what it is like to lose a child," Natasha replied first. "We lost our youngest, Peter, a number of years ago in an explosion at his place of work."

The comment sparked a memory of the conversation Yuri had had with Leon after he was rescued. "Leon says that he had met Peter."

A pained look similar to the one Yuri had had when Lee mentioned his son's name flashed across her face. "Really? Where did you meet Peter?" she enquired.

"It was about 12 years ago, I think. We were both riding in a van out to a government facility; we were both starting new jobs out there. Peter was so friendly and happy; I liked him immediately," Lee replied. "Along the way there was an accident and Peter saved my life by freeing me much like I did Yuri. After the accident he sat by my side to keep me company and gave me his coat to keep me warm. He told me all about you both, his brothers and sisters, his dog and how much he enjoyed working on the Sawfish with you Yuri. His talking kept me focused on staying awake and kept me from slipping into a coma from the concussion I had sustained. I got busted up really bad in the accident and had to be sent to a hospital in Solad. They decided not to bring me back out because I was going to take so long heal. I had always wanted to thank him for all he had done for me and repay him somehow for his friendship and kindness when I needed it most. I am truly sorry for his passing, you must miss him terribly," Lee answered sincerely.

Natasha dabbed at the tears welling up in her eyes as she thought about her son. Yuri as well coughed back his emotions as he listened to Lee's story. They both seemed to appreciate the kind words about their son and to have the opportunity to speak to someone who had seen him after he had been sent away.

"Well now that you're all taken care of I need to be on my way," Lee stated as he moved to pick up his jacket and backpack.

"Nonsense," countered Yuri. "It is too late and too cold for you to venture out tonight. It is a good 3 hour walk to Cordessa on a good day and you no doubt are tired from walking all day and from rescuing me. You must join us for supper and stay the night."

"I don't want to impose," Lee replied.

"No imposition," Natasha answered. "You have done us both a great service by bringing back my old man and bringing some news of our son. I value both dearly and think a warm place to sleep and a hot meal is not nearly enough to thank you for all you have done for us."

"Then I accept only if you will allow me to provide some of my food for the meal." Natasha and Yuri smiled and nodded their heads. "Good. Now if you can point me to your wood pile I'll bring in some more wood for your fire."

"There's not much left," Yuri stated. "But the pile is by the shed behind the cabin. That's why I was out cutting down the tree. It's been a colder winter than I expected and we have already gone through most of the wood I had cut. The tree that brought me down was one of the few dead ones close to the cabin; I wanted one that would burn easily."

"I had wondered why you were felling trees this late in the season." Lee replied. "I'll be back in a moment." He grabbed his coat and gloves and exited the cabin to look for the wood pile. He quickly located the few logs that remained, picked them up and came back inside.

In the meantime, Natasha had been busy warming up a pot of potato soup and had sliced part of a loaf of bread for the evening meal. Looking around the cabin Lee could easily tell they were struggling to get by and had no need to feed him. He placed the wood next to the stove and added another log to the fire then grabbed his pack and pulled out a large salami and the cheese. As he laid the salami on the table he could tell by the looks in Natasha and Yuri's eyes that they had not eaten meat or cheese in quite some time.

Lee grabbed the cutting board Natasha had used for the bread and cut big slices of both the cheese and sausage. He smiled at them, "It looks as though we are going to have quite a feast tonight."

"Indeed we shall," replied Natasha. "It will be like a big party." The soup now warm she set out three bowls and spoons. Yuri waved Leon over and asked him to help him to the table.

"Are you sure you're up for this Yuri? I know how much pain you must be in, I've been there myself."

"I am quite sure Leon; I would not miss this meal for anything; it's almost like an early Christmas dinner. It also feels better if I sit up more."

Natasha quickly filled the bowls with soup and then they passed the bread, meat and cheese around. Lee watched their faces as they savored the flavor of the delicacies he had provided. He would leave the rest of his food with them when he left since he was so close to Cordessa now.

They chatted amicably over dinner. They told Leon how they had moved out to their forest cabin because living in town had become too expensive. Their surviving children had moved to other cities in the PR since that's where their work took them and at the moment were unable to move their parents in with them. They sent what money they could to help out but things were tough everywhere. Lee relayed all that Peter had told him during the ride to the interrogation facility and went over his plans to find a ship to sign on with when he got to Cordessa. He asked them where would be the best place to go to find such work when he got to town.

"I worked down on the docks and fishing boats for nearly 65 years. I have many contacts with the freighter captains and I should be able help you find a billet on a ship. I don't think I can make it in but Natasha can give you a ride in tomorrow morning and introduce you to the right people. We know who the best captains are to work for and hopefully some of them are in port and looking for hands. What are you qualified to do on a boat Leon?" Yuri explained.

"I would appreciate that very much. I am a merchant seaman by trade. I only moved to Solad because that's where my wife was from and she wanted to live near her parents. I can do anything from cleaning bilges to navigation and anything in between; my experience is really pretty broad." Lee replied.

"That should make it pretty easy for you to find a slot on one of the freighters in port." Yuri replied then fought hard to bite back a yawn.

"It looks like it's time for you to be in bed old man," Natasha gently chided as she took in Yuri's tired expression. "Come on let's get you settled in bed." She gently helped him to his feet and herded him over to the bed. She drew the curtain across the doorway and began helping Yuri get ready for bed.

While that was going on Lee quickly gathered up the dinner dishes and washed them in the small sink. As he dried the last bowl Natasha stepped back into the room, ready to take care of the table. "You didn't need to do that Leon," she said somewhat surprised to see everything cleaned up and ready to be put away.

"You were busy with Yuri and I needed something to do," he said. "It's not something I haven't done a million times."

"Well thank you. We need to get you set up for bed as well. I'm sorry we don't have another bed you can sleep on but I think if we put down a couple of blankets, the floor will be somewhat more comfortable," she said as she moved to the small chest. She pulled out three blankets and placed two on the floor for cushioning and draped the third to the side for Leon to cover up with. She then pulled out a small pillow and laid it at the head of the improvised bed.

"That will be more than enough," Lee replied. "The last place I slept was on a cave floor, so this can only be a step up." They both laughed lightly.

"Good enough then. Well I will bid you good night." Natasha said. She picked up the lantern and moved back to the bedroom to get ready for bed herself.

Lee pulled off his shoes and removed his sweater. He looked quickly at his watch and noticed it was only 2000; he hadn't been to bed this early in years he chuckled to himself. He dug into his pack and pulled out his blanket and added that to his makeshift bed. It wasn't going to be much warmer in the cabin than it had been in the cave as the fire in the stove burned down over night. After a few moments the lantern was extinguished and they all settled in for the night.

xxXXxx

Lee drifted off to sleep quickly as he was tired from his long hike and then taking care of Yuri. He slept soundly but as was his norm found himself wide awake very early the next morning. Looking at his watch it was only coming up on 0400, he sighed knowing there was no way he could just lay there until his hosts finally awoke. Making up his mind he quietly got up, pulled on his sweater and boots then grabbed his pack and jacket and exited the cabin with hardly a sound.

Once outside he went over to the sled, loaded the chainsaw back on grabbed the rope and headed back to the tree Yuri had taken down the day before. It was still dark but the sky was clear and there was a full moon so he had more than enough light to cut the tree into logs without risk of damage to himself. After several pulls the old saw fired to life and Lee made short work of the downed tree.

Next he pulled over the sled and loaded it with the newly hewn logs and pulled it back to the cabin. He quickly unloaded the wood at the wood pile and headed back to get another load of logs. All told he made 5 trips bringing all the wood and larger branches back to the cabin. It was barely 0600 by the time he finished with that task. He walked to the shed, opened the door and looked inside for any sign of an axe. He readily spied one hanging on the back wall, picked it up and moved back outside to start splitting logs.

Lee was pulled from his task when he heard Natasha calling his name. He looked at his watch and noticed it was nearly 0900. Looking about him he smiled to himself as he was rather proud to see that he had split the majority of the logs in the intervening time. The activity had felt good since he hadn't had much opportunity in the last couple of weeks to workout.

"Natasha, I'm over here." Lee called out as he wiped the perspiration from his face.

Natasha came outside to see where Leon was and came to a sudden halt as she took in all the split firewood lying near the shed. She blinked a couple of times just to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. "Leon, you didn't have to do all this," she said as she gestured to the logs littering the ground.

Lee smiled. "I know, but believe me it was my pleasure. I woke up quite early and didn't want to disturb you so I figured I'd bring back Yuri's tree. That went faster than I anticipated so I decided I'd split some of it for you so Yuri wouldn't have to worry about getting that done with his sore ribs. I haven't had much of a chance to work out lately so it felt good to put my muscles to use."

Natasha just shook her head and smiled broadly. "Again thank you so very much. You have been a godsend to us."

"I'm glad to do it. I hope in some way I'm repaying Peter for saving my life. The fact that he saved me let me save my father when his life was in danger so I'm doubly thankful to him. Plus I really appreciate your hospitality and if you can help me get a job in Cordessa I still think I come out on the better end." Lee replied with a smile.

"I think we could have a great debate about that but we'll gladly take all you've done for us," Natasha replied with a chuckle. "Well come on in, it is time for breakfast. I'm sure by now you've worked up quite and appetite." Lee smiled and nodded. He embedded the axe in one of the logs, picked up some of the split wood and followed her into the cabin.

xxXXxx

They had a simple breakfast of oatmeal and more of Lee's salami and cheese. While Natasha did the dishes, Lee went back outside stacked the wood he had split and put the axe away. Yuri was barely able to move because of the pain but was in good spirits hearing that Leon had cut up the tree and brought it back to the cabin.

Having finished his tasks, Lee came back in. "Well, that's about it. I think I need to head into Cordessa now and see if I can find a job."

"Give me a couple of minutes to put on my long johns and I'll give you a ride in." replied Natasha.

"That's not necessary, if you could just tell me where I should go to look for a ship that should be fine. I don't want to put you out. Just point me in the right direction and I'll get out of your hair." Lee answered.

"No trouble at all. I usually go into town once a month and it's time to go in anyway. I will introduce you to whichever captains may be in port and hopefully we can find you a job that you want."

Lee smiled and nodded in resignation then turned and began repacking his pack. Natasha and Yuri had gone behind the curtain while Natasha changed. While they were out of the room, Lee pulled the rest of his salami and cheese from his pack and placed it in the cabinet next to the dishes so they would have a nice surprise next time they ate.

After a few moments Natasha pulled back the curtain and Lee had to fight back the urge to chuckle. She had so many layers of clothing on that if she fell over she most likely wouldn't be able to right herself. She read the glimmer of laughter in his eye and walked over and playfully batted him on the arm. "At least I stay warm. Well let's be on our way, shall we?"

Lee smiled and nodded. "Yuri, you take care of yourself now. My doctor would admonish me to keep breathing deeply to keep from getting pneumonia so I pass that same advice on to you. It has been a great pleasure and honor to meet you both; I have yet another thing to thank Peter for." Lee extended his hand and Yuri grabbed it and shook it enthusiastically.

"I can't thank you enough for all you have done for me, for us," Yuri replied. "I think it was Peter's spirit guiding your way, to be here in our hour of need. Since you've been here I've felt the warmth of his presence with us again. Have a safe voyage wherever it takes you Leon, and should you find yourself back in Cordessa please come visit. Have a Merry Christmas, son."

Natasha quickly tucked Yuri back in bed, gave him a kiss on the forehead then turned and waddled towards the door. As she turned to see if Leon was following she caught the look of amusement in his eyes again and stuck her tongue out at him. "Your day will come young man, just you wait," she chided gently as they both laughed.

They headed out the door and back to the shed. Natasha opened the door and moved to a large object covered by a tarp. She pulled the tarp back revealing the oldest looking snow machine Lee had ever seen; it looked more like a tank on skis than something that moved over the top of the snow. His eyebrows shot up in amazement at the battered looking antique. Again reading his expression Natasha smiled. "Don't smirk, it may be old like Yuri and me, but like us it runs well…most of the time."

She climbed onto the machine and pulled on the cord to get it started. It didn't seem too inclined to start and just belched out black puffs of exhaust. Walking over to the machine, Lee gestured with his hand. "May I have a go at it?" Natasha nodded with relief and Lee grabbed the cord and started pulling. On the 10th try the ancient beast fired to life and quickly filled the shed with a noxious black cloud. Natasha climbed back on and quickly pulled the machine forward into the open air so they didn't die of asphyxiation.

Once outside she motioned for Leon to climb on the back and they were on their way. Though not overly fast the snow machine chugged forward at a decent rate of speed and they were in Cordessa within the hour. Natasha adeptly piloted her craft through the busy streets and made her way down to the docks. Finally reaching her destination she pulled to a stop and killed the engine. Lee was greatly relieved when the engine stopped and his hearing started to return.

Natasha scanned the harbor taking in all the vessels that were in port. Lee saw a large smile spread across her face as she spotted a container ship at the far end. "Ah, the Morning Star is in. Unless something has changed Vladimir Potemkin, a very dear friend of ours, is the captain of that ship. Come let's go see if we can track him down."

Lee offered his arm to Natasha and the two of them made their way down the pier towards the Morning Star. Upon arriving Natasha inquired about the captain and was pleased to hear that Vladimir was still captaining the vessel and could be found at a small tavern a block in from the pier. She grabbed Leon's arm and they made their way up the street towards the Sea Hag.

xxXXxx

The inside of the Sea Hag looked like every waterfront dive bar portrayed in the movies. There was minimal outside light and just a few bare-bulb fixtures located over the bar and the corner booths. There were a number of small round tables and mismatched chairs scattered around the room and a short bar with well-worn stools against the side wall. A thick cloud of cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke choked the air and Lee had to desperately bite back a cough fighting his body's need to clear his lungs. There was a cloying smell of stale beer and whiskey mixed with grease from the kitchen.

Natasha quickly scanned the bar and instantly spotted Vladimir sitting in one of the booths. He was a huge bear of a man in his late 60s with a thick graying beard and not much hair on top. "Vladimir!" Natasha called out as she walked over to the booth. His reaction was immediate as a delighted smile spread across his face.

"Natasha, my love. So you have finally had enough of Yuri and come to be with me," he replied playfully. He stood up and enfolded her in his arms giving her a huge hug and a playful kiss which was readily returned.

"Speaking of Yuri, where is the old goat?" he said looking behind Natasha for his old friend.

"He's back home. He had an accident yesterday, a tree he was cutting down shifted on him and landed on top of him. We both know why he was a fisherman and not a lumberjack," Natasha said with a chuckle.

"My god, is he alright?" Vladimir inquired.

"He will be in time. He cracked some ribs and is bruised and sore. Luckily for us this young man was walking through the woods, heard his cries for help and came to his rescue." Natasha reached back and grabbed Lee's arm and pulled him forward. "Vladimir Potemkin this is Leon Borodin. Leon, Vladimir Potemkin, captain of the Morning Star."

Lee extended his hand at the introduction. "It's a pleasure to meet you sir."

Vladimir grabbed Lee's hand, "The pleasure is mine especially after saving my dear friend from himself," he replied with a chuckle.

"Vladimir I was wondering if you could help us out. Leon is looking for a job. I was hoping you had an empty slot or know of someone who could use a good hand. From what I've seen he is a hard worker and would be of value on any ship," Natasha inquired.

Vladimir took a long appraising look at Leon. He looked to be able-bodied and could probably take care of any menial tasks on a boat. "What experience do you have Leon?"

"I have crewed many vessels sir and can do anything you would need from cleaning bilges to pilot. I have my merchant seaman credentials if you would like to see them. It's been awhile since I've been at sea but I know it will all come back quickly once I'm aboard." Leon replied.

Vladimir looked at him skeptically. Reading his concern Natasha spoke up. "Leon moved to Solad when he met his wife so she could be near her family. He recently lost her and his infant son and is in need of a change."

A look of understanding and commiseration took over Vladimir's expression as he had experienced a similar loss in his life. "What have you been doing since living there?"

"I was working on boilers for heating plants," Lee lied. "A boiler is a boiler regardless of whether it's on a boat or in a plant." _Or a submarine_ he thought to himself.

"Excellent. I actually do need someone to assist my engineer in the engine room, would that be satisfactory?"

"That would be more than satisfactory sir," Lee replied enthusiastically.

"Good. We sail tomorrow for Mexico. Report to the Morning Star after lunch and we'll get you squared away."

A broad smile shot across Lee's face at getting the job and at the ship's destination. It got him out of the PR and in the right neck of the woods to get back home. For once things were actually turning in his favor on this mission.

Natasha beamed at the good luck of getting Leon a job. "Thank you so much Vladimir," she said as she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "I had hoped we could find him something to thank him for saving Yuri's life and everything else his did around the cabin. You are a true friend, my love." Lee could swear Vladimir blushed and quickly schooled his expression before the captain looked at him.

"I'm glad I could help you and Yuri out. Will you let me take you to lunch?"

"That would be lovely Vladimir. I need to do a little shopping before I head home. I will go get that out of the way then meet you wherever you'd like." Natasha replied.

Vladimir smiled. "That works well. I'll meet you at the Samovar at 1230, if that's okay with you and Leon."

"That is perfect. We'll see you there." Natasha smiled then reached back for Leon's arm and they exited the bar. "Vladimir is a good man and a very good captain. As long as you work hard and follow the rules you should do well. Come now, you can help carry packages for me as I do a little shopping."

"Thank you Natasha," Leon replied and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "You have no idea how much I appreciate all you've done for me." Natasha blushed and patted Leon on the arm.

xxXXxx

Natasha and Leon hit a number of shops as she purchased bread, flour, eggs and a little meat for their Christmas dinner. As Natasha haggled with one of the shopkeepers about the price of some cheese, Lee spied a small lacquer box and purchased it as a Christmas present for the Brojes. He opened the lid and inserted the majority of the PR money he had with him. It was just a few hundred dollars worth but he no longer had a need for it and it would be put to good use by them. He handed the box back to the clerk and asked that she wrap it up.

As Natasha completed her purchase the clerk finished wrapping the package and handed it back to Lee. He quickly stuffed it into his backpack and waited for Natasha. He picked up all of her parcels and they headed over to the Samovar to meet Vladimir for lunch.

The lunch went very well as Lee listened to Natasha and Vladimir reminisce and bring each other up on what was going on in their lives. It also gave the captain a chance to quiz Leon about his experience and better assess the man he had hired. By the end of the meal Vladimir was quite satisfied with what he had heard and thought Leon would fit in well. As the waiter brought the tab, Leon moved to take it but had it snatched out of his hand. "This one is on me," Vladimir announced. "You will work hard for the next meal," he said with a wink.

"Thank you sir, I appreciate both lunch and the job." Leon replied with a smile.

"Well gentlemen it is starting to get late and I must get back to the old man before he gets into any more trouble. Vladimir it has been so good seeing you again; you must get word to us next time you're in port and we will come in to see you. Also thank you for hiring on Leon; you've done us a great kindness and I know he'll do right by you." Natasha said as she kissed his cheek again.

"You are more than welcome, my love. I will definitely come out to the cabin next time I make port. Take care sweet lady and tell Yuri to get well."

"I shall. Goodbye my dear. Leon would you help me back out to the snow machine?"

"Gladly," Leon said as he rose to his feet. "I'll be at the Morning Star once I've seen Natasha here safely on her way, if that's all right sir?"

Vladimir nodded, gave Natasha another peck on the cheek and bid her farewell.

xxXXxx

Leon secured Natasha's packages to the back of the snow machine so they would all reach the cabin in one piece. Once done he reached into his pack and withdrew the wrapped box and presented it to Natasha. "Here's a small present for Christmas, a thanks for all you've done for me. This job is a lifeline for me and means more than you can know. I have truly enjoyed getting to meet you finally after having heard Peter speak so fondly of you both."

Natasha blushed and gently took the box. "You don't need to give us anything Leon; it is we who owe you the large measure of thanks. You have saved our lives as well and I can't thank you enough. If you ever find your way back you will always have a place to call home here."

"Thank you, if I make it back I will look you up on my return. Well you've got a long ride home and I have a new ship to learn about, have a safe ride Natasha and tell Yuri to be more careful next time. Remember don't open the box until Christmas." Lee gave Natasha a quick kiss on the cheek and a big hug.

"Take care Leon and you be careful too young man."

Leon stepped to the machine and pulled the cord until if coughed to life. Natasha climbed aboard, waved her farewell and turned for home. Leon waved his goodbye and then moved down the dock to his ticket home.

xxXXxx

The voyage went smoothly and Leon fit in well with the captain and crew. He pitched in wherever he could and Vladimir was quite impressed with his skill at every task he took on. Proving so adept at everything, the captain invited him to the wheelhouse and allowed him to navigate from time to time. He definitely wanted to try and keep such an accomplished seaman.

Even though Lee was safely out of PR territory his orders prohibited him from contacting anyone until he was safely backed in the US or in a US embassy. As they entered US waters and moved down the California coast, Lee started to get very antsy and excited to get back home. He tracked their course closely and planned to jump ship as they drew near the US coast around San Diego. Lee had no desire to try and work his way out of Mexico and it would be easier for him to jump ship and swim for home.

Over the cruise he had carefully collected the items he needed to make good his escape. He had obtained an inflatable raft, waterproof bag, folding paddle, flashlight, life preserver, a couple of lengths of rope, flare gun, and an emergency locater beacon. Lee stashed all his supplies in a large plastic tote stored on the fantail. By his calculations the Morning Star would pass about 5 miles out from San Diego around midnight and that would be the time for him to leave.

As it neared the witching hour Lee made his way stealthily back to his stash and waited for the deck watch to pass by on their usual rounds. It would be at least an hour until the next pass and he would be long gone by then. Once the crewman passed Lee flipped off the lid on the tote and started pulling out his gear. He tied one length of rope to the raft and waterproof bag filled with the smaller items, and then tied the other end to his waist. He picked up his gear and the other rope and moved to the guardrail on the side of the ship. He slipped the other rope around the guardrail stanchion; he would use that one to lower himself down into the water. There was no need to jump and risk an injury at this late date in the game.

When he had everything in place he tossed the raft and bag over the side then quickly stepped over the rail and lowered himself down to the chilly water below. He released one end of the rope and allowed it to pull free of the stanchion and fall into the water. Lee immediately moved away from the ship to avoid being pulled into the propellers as it passed by. He pulled in the rope with the raft and other supplies and floated with them until he was certain no one on the Morning Star had noticed someone overboard.

Once the ship was just a receding dot of light on the horizon, Lee grabbed the inflation handle on the raft and gave it a quick pull. The raft immediately began to unfold and inflate as the CO2 cartridges inside expelled their charge. When the noise stopped and the raft was afloat Lee climbed in and pulled his bag in with him. The raft had a canopy on top which would keep the elements out and make the paddle back to shore that much more comfortable.

Now securely inside Lee opened the waterproof bag and withdrew his pack with a dry set of clothes inside. He stripped off this wet clothing and quickly pulled on the dry articles which helped drive off the chill from his dip in the ocean. He next pulled out his GPS and got a fix on his position; as he hoped he was just over 5 miles off shore in the general vicinity of San Diego, California. He sat back and relaxed a moment catching his breath and collecting his thoughts.

"Well Crane, so far so good," he said to himself. "Might as well see if I can get a ride back to shore and save the workout for another day." He reached into the bag and pulled out the emergency location beacon and activated it. The lights on the display flared to life and the strobe light on the top began its hypnotic pulse. If the thing actually worked the US Coast Guard should be dispatched shortly to pluck him from the sea and take him back to land. Not taking things for granted, Lee pulled out the oar and began paddling for shore.

About 0400 he heard what sounded like a helicopter in the distance and spied the airship's running lights flashing in the night. "Well, I guess it worked," Lee said with a smile. As the chopper drew closer Lee pulled out the flare gun and fired off a flare. The chopper honed in on the signal immediately and was hovering overhead in short order.

Once in position the rescue swimmer was quickly lowered into the water to assess and assist the person in the raft. As he pulled up next to the raft Lee smiled in total relief, he was finally going home. He helped the swimmer aboard and got a quick brief on how they were going to rescue him. The rescue basket was lowered and Lee scrambled in and was lifted safely into the helicopter quickly followed by the rescue swimmer. With everything and everyone secured the pilot aimed the chopper for shore.

On the trip back Lee identified himself and his reason for being out there. When the helicopter landed at the Coast Guard base, he was escorted to see the base CO. They were all rather dubious of Lee's story but eventually granted Lee's request to use the phone. He quickly dialed his contact number and waited for the person on the other end to pick up.

"Hardy," came the voice at the other end. Lee had dialed Admiral Hardy's direct number.

"The sitting duck has landed." Lee said in response. That was the agreed upon code phrase that let the admiral know Lee was safe and had the information he had been sent to retrieve.

"Crane?! Where the hell are you?" Hardy bellowed through the phone. Lee had to hold the receiver away from his ear; it was loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

"I'm at the USCG base in San Diego and here with the base commanding officer. I have a present for you and would really like a ride back home, sir. I've been away far too long." Lee responded.

"Understood; hang tight and I'll have someone over there in 20 minutes." Hardy replied the relief in his voice obvious. "Let me talk to the CO."

"Yes sir, one moment. Admiral Hardy would like to speak with you sir." Lee said as he handed the phone over to Captain Landry.

"Captain Todd Landry here," the captain said not quite sure if this was some elaborate ruse or not. After a few minutes Admiral Hardy had dispelled all doubts the captain may have had regarding Lee's identity and the veracity of his story. "Yes sir. We would be more than happy to help you out Admiral Hardy. I would consider it an honor to see that he gets there as soon as possible…. Thank you sir, Merry Christmas to you too." Landry handed the phone back to Crane.

"Crane here sir….Yes sir, thank you sir. I'll be standing by to transfer custody….I appreciate that very much sir, and I'm sure Admiral Nelson will as well…Thank you sir and Merry Christmas to you. I'll see you in 10 days for the debrief." Lee hung up and sighed in relief. After a moment he looked up and saw the smile on Captain Landry's face.

"Welcome to USCG Station San Diego Commander Crane, it's a pleasure to have the captain of the SSRN Seaview with us." Landry said extending his hand.

Lee smiled and accepted the captain's hand. "Thank you very much sir. Believe me when I say it's a pleasure to be here. Please accept my sincere thanks for the rescue by your aircrew; it saved me a long paddle home."

"Well Commander, at the request of your admiral once you've transferred over your package, we will be giving you a ride up to Santa Barbara so you can get started on what sounds like a well-deserved break."

"Thank you sir. Do you mind if I give Admiral Nelson a call and let him know I'm back?" Lee inquired.

"Why don't you hold off on that and you can tell him in person right after the chopper lands at NIMR? From what I've heard from Admiral Hardy that would probably be the best Christmas present he could receive." Landry replied.

Lee let loose one of his thousand watt smiles. "Yes sir I think we both would appreciate that very much. If I'm not mistaken the NIMR Christmas party is going on this afternoon so everyone should be home."

True to his word, 20 minutes later a car from ONI arrived at Landry's office and Lee quickly signed over his recovered intel to the couriers. "Well that takes care of that Captain, I'm ready to leave whenever your crew is ready."

"Give me a few minutes to clear my calendar and grab my flight gear and I'll fly you up personally. Chief why don't you escort Commander Crane over to the BOQ and let him freshen up a bit. I'm sure you'd like to wash off a little of that salt water and put on some dryer clothes."

"Thank you very much sir, I would definitely like to wash a lot of the grime off." Lee replied.

"Very well, I'll see you at the hanger in say 90 minutes?"

"More than enough time sir." Lee replied.

xxXXxx

The annual NIMR family Christmas party was well under way although the atmosphere was somewhat subdued due to the extended absence of Seaview's captain. The cafeteria had been colorfully decorated to look like Santa's workshop and the children of the NIMR employees were in the process of meeting with Santa and receiving their gifts. Although Harri enjoyed watching the excited children meet with the jolly old elf he was consumed with a sense of melancholy at not having his 'son' with him. He was fearful and concerned about Lee's continued absence and the lack of any information as to his status weighed heavily on his mind.

Chip likewise was having a tough time getting into the spirit of things. Lee should have been home nearly three weeks ago and he continued to curse ONI with every breath he took. The not knowing if Lee was alive or dead, on the run or a captive guest of the PR tore at his insides. Until there was some resolution one way or another he would have no peace.

He made his way over to the refreshments table and grabbed two cups of the brandy-laced eggnog and headed over to the admiral. "Still no word yet sir?" Chip asked as he handed Nelson a cup.

"Thanks Chip," Harri said as he accepted the cup. "No nothing new. Damn I wish he were here!" The anger, frustration and helplessness the admiral felt was blatantly obvious in his voice. "It's Christmas, he should be here," he added softly.

"Well we've got to believe that he's got it all under control and is making his way home as we speak. If there ever was a need for a Christmas miracle I could go for one right now," Chip replied.

As they stood there watching the party, the head of security Darren Fox entered the cafeteria and made a bee line for the admiral. "Sir sorry to disturb you but we've had a request from a USCG helicopter to land on our helipad. Apparently they have a high priority item that has to be delivered to you personally sir."

"I'm not expecting anything, especially from the Coast Guard. I wonder what this is all about. Go ahead and grant them permission Darren. Come on Chip let's go see what's so all fired important it requires a USCG helicopter to deliver."

Harri and Chip followed Fox out of the cafeteria and walked the short distance across the NIMR grounds to the helipad. Within a couple of minutes the USCG chopper swooped overhead then slowly descended and landed on the pad. The pilot powered down the engines, then exited the craft and approached the two men on the ground.

The pilot quickly saluted Admiral Nelson which he returned. "Admiral Nelson I'm Captain Todd Landry, commanding officer of USCG Station San Diego."

"Nice to meet you Captain," Harri replied extending his hand to Landry. "This is Commander Morton, XO of the Seaview." The men acknowledged each other. "What is it I can do for you Captain? I was told you had something that needed to be delivered to me personally."

"Yes sir. I have very specific orders to turn this package over to only you sir." Landry replied. With that he turned back towards the chopper and signaled the crew to open the door. Once the door was open a man jumped out of the craft. He was dressed in a Coast Guard flight suit and wore a flight helmet with the visor pulled down over his eyes. The man strode purposefully over to the waiting men and came to a halt at attention in front of Nelson. Harri and Chip exchanged confused looks as they waited for whatever parcel the man had.

Captain Landry produced a chain of custody form and handed it to Nelson to sign. Nelson scrutinized the form for a moment then looked at Landry. "What exactly am I signing for Captain?"

"Sir you are signing for one Commander Lee Benjamin Crane, USNR." Landry said with a wink.

At that moment Lee slid back the visor and smiled broadly at the startled pair in front of him. He executed a crisp military salute to his CO then extended his hand. "Hello sir. I'm home," he said nonchalantly.

Nelson quickly returned the salute then all military decorum was immediately shot to hell as Harri grabbed Lee's hand and pulled him into a vice-like bear hug which was readily returned by Lee. Both Captain Landry and Chip broke into broad smiles as well. "You're a little overdue Commander. Thank god you're back and it looks like in one piece. Welcome home son," Harri said pounding heartily on Lee's back. After a moment Harri released Lee from the embrace, placed his hands on Lee's shoulders and stared intently into his captain's eyes expressing the feelings of joy and relief he couldn't say aloud.

"Thank you sir, it's good to be back and I'm just fine." Lee replied with a huge smile.

Chip stepped up next and the same scene was repeated as he pulled Lee into a crushing bear hug. "It's about time you got your butt back home." Chip chided him, the look of relief on his face belying his stern words.

"I missed you too." Lee bantered back. "What have you been doing to my boat while I've been gone?"

"Well if you could figure out how to stay on it, you wouldn't have to wonder. Welcome home bro." Chip replied giving him yet another hug.

"Captain Landry I can't begin to thank you for delivering our wayward captain back to us. We had just about given up all hope of his return." Nelson said smiling at the captain.

"You're more than welcome Admiral; it was a privilege to be able to help the commander out. Plus I got a little stick time and the commander promised me a tour of his boat," he replied and returned the admiral's smile.

"We are right in the middle of our Christmas party; if you and your crew are interested we would love to have you join us."

"That's very kind of you Admiral and we accept," Landry turned and walked back to his chopper and signaled his crew to come and join in on the festivities.

xxXXxx

As Lee entered the cafeteria and was spotted by the partygoers a spontaneous round of applause broke out punctuated with many 'welcome back Skippers' from those assembled. The energy level of the party rocketed up to high gear and Lee made the rounds greeting each person. After a couple hours at the party then escorting Captain Landry and his crew through the Seaview, Lee was just about spent.

Ready to make a dash for home, he spotted Harri across the room talking with Jamie and Chip. He grabbed a beer from the bar and headed over to join them. "Admiral if you don't mind I'm going to grab a car from the motor pool and head on home. I've just about reached my limit for the day," he said with a heavy sigh.

"Why don't we all adjourn up to the penthouse and you can give us the abridged version of your adventures and then crash in the guestroom," Harri countered.

Lee was about to beg off until he caught Chip giving him the sign that it wouldn't be a good idea to say no. He had already told him how concerned the admiral was, hell how they all were and he more than likely didn't want to turn Lee loose just yet. "Sure sir, that sounds like a good plan. Lead the way."

They all said their Merry Christmases and goodbyes to those still at the party then headed up to the penthouse to wind down. Once inside Harri poured them all a glass of scotch and passed them around. Harri raised his glass, "Welcome home Lee. I think it's safe to say you've given us all a wonderful Christmas gift this year." Chip and Jamie echoed Harri's toast and they all took comfort in having their roving son/brother/friend back in the fold.

As they sipped on their drinks Lee laid out what he could about his mission. He glossed over as much as he could about the screw-ups that seemed to plague him early on. He kept it as brief as possible as he saw his friend's faces cloud with anger over ONI's inept handling of the whole thing.

Reaching the point in the story where the last extraction was blown and he was running through the woods to avoid detection, Lee looked at the admiral. "Sir, do you remember when we escaped from the PR interrogation facility all those years ago?"

"Yes Lee, it's highly unlikely I'll ever forget that little misadventure we shared, why?" Harri answered.

"Remember the young man I told you about, Peter Broje?" Lee asked.

"Yes. Wasn't he the man that untied you while you were on the way to the facility and shared so much of his life story with you you were able to assume his identity when he was killed in the van accident?"

"Yes sir, that's him. Well as I was hiking through the woods towards Cordessa to try and find a way home, I met his parents."

"That's amazing, what are the odds of that happening?" Harri replied.

"I happened upon his father in the forest after he was trapped when a tree he was cutting down fell on top of him. I managed to get him out from underneath the tree and back to the small cabin he shared with his wife. They put me up for the night and then it was through them that I was able to gain a berth on a small container ship heading to Mexico. That chance meeting gave me the opportunity to repay in some small way what Peter had done for me, for us actually. I somehow think this whole thing was meant to be so I could come to their aid. Yuri told me when I left that he felt as though his son's spirit had guided me to them in their hour of need."

"Well we know stranger things have happened, I don't think I would totally discount that," Harri replied seriously.

"In retrospect I've never been more thankful for a mission gone wrong in my life. It's not something I want to go through again, but what started as a total FUBAR has given me one of the best Christmas presents in my life, second only to being here with you all now," Lee continued. "Here's to the Brojes and to being home with friends and family. Merry Christmas to all."

They all raised their glasses in agreement toasting Lee's rescuers and his safe return. It was going to be a very Merry Christmas for everyone after all.

**The End.**


End file.
